By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), has moved to reinforce his anti-corruption credentials by canceling questionable embassy contracts and pledging transparency in the management of foreign assets.
His response follows viral claims that he approved a US$5.2 million renovation contract for Ghana’s Embassy in Benin — allegations he dismissed as entirely false.
Instead, Mr Ablakwa disclosed that he has canceled a US$3.5 million single-source “midnight” contract awarded on November 7, 2024 for renovation works at Ghana’s Embassy in Abidjan.
“For the record, I have not awarded any embassy renovation contract anywhere in the world. On the contrary, I have rather protected taxpayers by canceling a US$3.5 million single-source midnight contract to renovate our embassy in Abidjan,” Mr Ablakwa stated on his Facebook page.
A History of Embassy Contract Controversies.
Embassy projects have often been at the center of public debate:
In 2016, revelations about a £12 million contract to purchase a new chancery for Ghana in Oslo, Norway, sparked political uproar over procurement irregularities.
In 2021, civil society groups raised questions about the cost of renovating Ghana’s missions in Washington D.C. and New York, citing inflated pricing and lack of transparency.
The Abidjan contract canceled by Ablakwa, had itself been flagged by critics as another example of “single-source procurement abuse” at the twilight of the previous administration.
By canceling the deal, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Ablakwa, has signaled a policy shift away from opaque contracting practices, which have historically eroded public trust in the Foreign Ministry.
He underscored that his stewardship of the Ministry is guided by President Mahama’s Reset Agenda, which prioritizes fiscal discipline, efficiency, and accountability in the use of state resources.
“I shall never betray the trust of the Ghanaian people as we work tirelessly, and with integrity, to achieve President Mahama’s Reset Agenda,” he assured.
